Nearly two years after the official end of the recession, Americans still remain unconvinced.

Consumer confidence has hit an eight-month low, according to a Conference Board report released Tuesday. The group studies how Americans feel about business conditions and the job market.

It turns out consumers aren't feeling so hot about the prospects for the future, which economists say could be a self-fulfilling prophecy.

This can be seen in any parking lot of a big-box store.

WEKU is very excited to offer a new station to the greater Lexington and Lawrenceburg area! Classic 102.1 WKYL is WEKU's music station and will offer mainly classical music as its programming. We feel it is the perfect complement to the news and information you hear everyday at 88.9. Tune in to 102.1  to hear the new station or go online today to sample the programming.

Several environmental groups are threatening to sue two eastern Kentucky coal companies for thousands of water violations. They say the state won’t take action. This comes as the Kentucky Energy and Environment Cabinet is lobbying to have even more control over the state’s waterways. The notice of intent to sue was sent from Appalachian Voices, Kentuckians for the Commonwealth and several other organizations to International Coal Group–recently acquired byArch Coal–and Frasure Creek Mining. They say the coal companies self-reported thousands of violations at eastern Kentucky mines.

Calling the report a “whitewash”, the campaign manager for independent gubernatorial candidate Gatewood Galbraith believes the audit of the Kentucky Retirement Systems leaves more questions unanswered. On Tuesday, State Auditor Crit Luallen found no evidence of wrongdoing in the retirement agency, but did raise concerns about the use of placement agents, who act as middlemen to secure investments from entities like the KRS. The report found New York placement agent Glen Sergeon had “an unusually close working relationship” with former KRS chief investment officer Adam Tosh, who resigned last summer.

Of the dozens of items in Lexington's $274 million budget for the next fiscal year, one of the most controversial surrounds the sport of disc golf. The spending plan passed last week by the Urban County Council includes a $150,000 bond proposal for disc golf courses at Coldstream Park and Jacobson Park.

On Wednesday, Budapest, Hungary will unveil a second statue of Ronald Reagan, the nation's 40th president. As the AP reports, Reagan never visited the country, but his efforts against communism have endeared him to its citizens. The AP adds:

State Auditor Crit Luallen says she found no evidence of wrongdoing in an audit of the Kentucky Retirement Systems. But Luallen says the audit does raise several areas of concern.  The audit primarily focused on the use of placement agents, who act as middlemen to secure investments from entities like KRS.  Placement agents have been at the center of "pay-to-play" scandals in other states, but Luallen says that does not appear to be the case in Kentucky.

The sign beside the large white tent on Scottsville Road in Bowling Green says it all - “All fireworks now legal.” But Clint Lowrie of Franklin, manager of Fireworks Supermarket, said many people who walk in still ask if it is legal to buy the larger fireworks. The answer is yes, thanks to a state bill signed into law in March. “People are just relieved to not spend the money on gas to go to Tennessee,” Lowrie said, referring to the common practice of Kentuckians crossing the state line to buy fireworks they couldn’t buy here.

Western Kentucky University already was spending money on projects to reduce energy use. So when the university learned it could receive additional incentives through the Tennessee Valley Authority, it was an added bonus. On Monday, WKU received a check from TVA for more than $106,000, money that will be plowed back into the energy savings program on campus, according to WKU President Gary Ransdell.

The U.S. women started group play in the FIFA Women's World Cup with a tight, tense game against North Korea Tuesday in Dresden, Germany. Lauren Cheney shattered a 0-0 tie with a header that found the corner of the goal, nearly 10 minutes into the second half. The ball was delivered from deep in the left corner by Abby Wambach.

With the U.S. women in all white and the Korean women in all red, the game was scoreless in the first half, with the North Koreans often dropping a defender into the midfield to frustrate the U.S. offense.